Dear Legs
Dear legs,
I would like to explain a few things to you, so please hear me out. First of all, I am so grateful for the past 35 years that you have given me. My first year of life, I didn’t even use you. I didn't even know that you would be so important to me. I think I discovered you when my parents put me in the jolly jumper, and I began to feel the ability to stand, jump, and touch my toes on the ground. You were there and going to give me something new to discover. When I learned that I could stand and that you would get me from point (a) to point (b), I was amazed by you. This meant that I could get places without crawling. Learning to use you as a form of transportation was a wobbly journey at first, but with time I built stability and trust. Wow, was it amazing to learn that I had you.
Year's passed, and I grew to understand that I needed you. Not only to walk, but to ride a bike, swim, cartwheel, and make clean landings when jumping off the back of the wagon rides. You became my best friend from the age of 3-16 when I needed you to perform for me on ice skates. The elegant landing, the toe picks that helped me jump, your ability to provide straight legs on every glide during ice dance. I think up until this point in my life I never really noticed you, I just went on without giving you much attention. It wasn’t until I stopped skating, stopped being active at the age of 16 when I really started to notice you. I started to pay attention to the fact that things started to change in my physical body, and I started to notice my feelings towards you changed. I started to not like you, I started to be ashamed of you. These feelings stuck with me throughout time. You still allowed me to move even when I didn’t appreciate you. I would beat you up, and you would still be there. I would walk, run, elliptical for miles and you still let me stand up and utilize you every day. I actually think the only time I even started to like the way you looked, was when you were half your size.
Over the years I would just go on, not really loving you, not really realizing how important you are, and honestly speaking badly of you. But you never let me down. You took me places, you allowed me to experience new things, and you continued to support me.
Fast forward, 2014 - 2021 my relationship with you shifted when I moved to the mountains. You pounded out kilometres on mountain trails, you took me to see some of the most beautiful places in the Canadian Rockies. I used you weekend after weekend pushing further and trying new things. You let me hike many meters, you carried me for thousands of kilometres, and you constantly spin out many pedal rotations on my bike. I just wanted to take a moment to thank you and appreciate you! My relationship towards you has changed. I still sometimes wish you were leaner, but wow, I am amazed at my change in relationship with you. You have gotten stronger, and faster, and have shown me I am capable of so much more. As I venture into more athletics that require you to perform for me, I have shifted how I feel towards you. My love for you now is all about care, love, and appreciation. I am sorry for hating you for so many years, and I am sorry for wishing you were a different size and shape. You are amazing, and I am blessed that you can do the things that you do. I can't promise that I won’t stop challenging you, working you hard, and pushing you to let me go further and faster. But what I can promise you, is that I will care for you more. I will love and appreciate you more, do self-care for you, and I will speak nicely in appreciation of your strength and ability. Thank you for the past 35 years, and all that you have given me. Now, I will use your power and strength with love and appreciation.
Tara Newbigging
BRAVA Ambassador and Creator &Founder of The b.class
Follow Tara on Instagram at @tara.newbigging